Arkansas Public Fleet Managers Association
February 24, 2014
Greetings to All AR Fleet Professionals and Fleet Industry Service Providers!
On behalf of the APFMA Board of Directors and as President of the organization, I want to personally extend
an invitation to you to join me at this year’s 2014 Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Public Fleet Managers
Association.
The meeting will be held on May 1st and 2nd at the Town Center in Fayetteville, AR. Our goal is for all public
fleet practitioners in AR and surrounding States – from all levels of government as well as school districts,
universities, utilities, etc. -- to come together for these two days to share fleet experiences, challenges and
solutions to problems. Our members will candidly speak about their fleet operations, addressing initiatives
which will be of interest and pertinent to the very problems you face every day. We’ll learn from each other as
members share ideas, recommendations and suggestions through a very interactive meeting.
Tentative Conference Topics
 CNG: The Little Rock Fleet Department: Ways to avoid problems in building a CNG station – learned the
“hard” way through first-hand experience. Their CNG station is set to open in March 2014.
 Northwest Technical Institute: Benefits of hiring trained technicians and highlights of their courses.
 Vehicle Equivalent units and number of technicians needed.
 Round table discussion: What’s up in your fleet?
 Arkansas Dept of Environmental Quality: Go RED – Reduce Emissions from Diesels – and government
funding to do so
 GPS: Uses and benefits of GPS for fleets and getting employee buy-in
 Propane: Conversion of units to propane, costs, etc.
 Clean Cities: Grant money’s available and here’s how to get it.
 CAFM – Certified Automotive Fleet Manager: What it is and how it can help you progress in your career.
 Communication Tips: From a communications pro.
 Fayetteville: Reverse vendor showcase, purchasing best practices, and the city’s fuel bid.
In addition to educational programming, the conference will include a vendor showcase and equipment
displays, as well as opportunities to network with AR fleet professionals.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:
Wednesday afternoon, April 30th:
Vendor setup.
Thursday, May 1st:
Informational meetings, presentations, round table discussions, networking opportunities, and the vendor
showcase.
Friday, May 2nd:
Official APFMA Business Meeting, including the election of new officers.
More presentations and follow-up with vendors.
Officially adjourn by noon to allow for attendees to return home for the weekend.
This does not mean everyone must leave at that time; please take time to finalize any networking with vendors
or other public fleets. And of course you are always welcome to spend time in Fayetteville and on the square to
visit the shops.
REGISTRATION:
We held the same price for the 2014 conference as our last several years’ events.
Early-bird rate: full member combined conference registration fee and annual membership is only $95. The
registration fee for non-members is $125. The fee includes two (2) conference meals. We continue to work
hard to make chapter membership and conference attendance an affordable way to meet others in the
Arkansas fleet industry and discuss topics specifically related to the responsibilities of our positions.
Early-bird rate: vendor combined conference registration fee and annual membership for one representative
is $170; each additional vendor representative is only $70. For an additional fee of $250, a service provider
may also secure a display table in our exhibit area. With limited display space available, be sure to submit
your registration form and display table request as soon as possible!
Other vendor opportunities include equipment/vehicle displays and varying levels of sponsorship, from bronze
of $50 to Diamond of $1,000. These levels are detailed on the registration form. The chapter sincerely
appreciates the support of the fleet industry service providers as their financial support helps to underwrite the
cost of the conference and their fleet industry experience, products and services are invaluable in the
education and career success of our members.
NEW THIS YEAR: Pay for the conference online via PayPal: Go to www.apfma.com
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:
Should your conference attendance require overnight accommodations, you can contact the Chancellor Hotel,
70 North East Avenue, Fayetteville, AR, Phone: 855-285-6162 or 479-442-5555. Mention APFMA Conference
for the group rate. The Chancellor Hotel is located just north of the downtown square, two blocks from the
Town Center where the conference will be held. The group rate is $109 per night single occupancy, down from
the normal rate of $137. This price will be held for our group only until March 29, 2014, so be sure to
book early. The price per night with a government ID is $77.
For reservations click this link:
http://www.hotelchancellor.com/
Attached to this email is the conference registration form and mailing instructions, due by April 1, 2014, for
these Early-Bird Rates. For additional information, you can contact the APFMA Project Manager, Gale
Blackburn, by email at apfma1@gmail.com, or by phone at 843-748-0749. As always, feel free to contact any
APFMA officer.
I’m looking forward to seeing you in May in Fayetteville!
Sincerely,
Jesse Beeks, CAFM
President
The Arkansas Public Fleet Managers Association was established in 2007, with a purpose to: increase the knowledge and ability of local
governmental fleet managers, administrators and technicians; to promote the exchange of information between the members; and to support
the functions and the aims of the Association.